The present invention relates to the development of penile-cups for use in conjunction with urethral catheters to minimize post-catheterization infection of the urethral canal, the prostate, and the urinary bladder. It is, at present, common to expect a urethral canal and related parts of the urinary tract to become infected due to contamination of one or more of the following causes:
(a) contamination of hands, gloves and catheter; PA1 (b) faulty preparation of the skin of the penis and/or of the penile urethra; PA1 (c) faulty care of drapes; PA1 (d) contamination of the site of the connection between the catheter and collecting tubing or collector-bags; PA1 (e) during the post-catheterization period when the catheter and connecting tubing is totally ignored. In particular, contamination can and does result from contact of the juncture of the catheter and the penile head with unclean, unsterilized bedding which usually is soiled with urine, feces and other infected secretions.
Still another cause of post-catheterization infection results from irrigating the urinary bladder via the main lumen of the catheter. Specifically, infection results primarily from unwashed or unclean hands, careless manipulating the penile-catheter junction and the catheter.
In fact, without the presence of the herein disclosed cone-shaped cups, which have an imperforate wall extending their entire length, the immediate environment of the penile-catheter junction becomes instantly contaminated and bacterial invasion starts upwardly toward the fossa navicularis in the distal urethra where the bacteria grow and colonize prior to ascending into the upper urethra and into the urinary bladder and kidneys.
In accordance with the present invention, as outlined hereinabove, the said invention is intended to prevent or at least minimize contamination of the catheter and of the penile-urethra by avoiding contact of the penile-catheter areas with unclean hands, bedding, drapes and contaminated catheters and other nearby contaminated objects.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide means to prevent contamination of the penile-catheter junction of an introduced catheter; of the catheter itself; of the urethral canal and of other critical areas of such installation.
Another object is to provide a cone-shaped penile-cup to prevent contamination by reason of careless handling of the patient and catheter, and because of existing unclean bedding and drapes.
Another object is to provide penile-cups each of which is adapted to be removably anchored to the penile shaft in such manner as to enclose the juncture between the penile-head and the catheter.
Another object of the invention is to provide a transparent cone-shaped penile-cup having means at the smaller of its ends to be fitted snuggly over and be detachably secured to a catheter extending axially through said cone-shaped penile-cup; and means on the penile-cup extending from the larger diameter end for attachment to the penile-shaft to prevent displacement of the penile-cup.